AiRRUS
Spectra AFT(SPC701MH-AFT) Specifications |
Material |
Multi-modulus graphite |
Length |
7' |
Grip Length |
9"
+ 4" extension (removable) |
Line
Weight |
12-25
lb |
Lure
Weight |
1/4-3/4
oz |
Pieces |
1 |
Power |
Medium-Heavy |
Action |
Fast |
Color |
Dark
Green |
Weight (measured) |
7.5
oz (5.9 oz without extension) |
MSRP |
$149.95 |

Spectra fibers are bonded into
this innovative design to enhance the rod's performance
Impressions: The Spectra AFT blank is dark green and the butt section is stunning when light reflects
off of it. In the butt section you can see how the rod was wound by
observing darker and lighter greens. The 7' Spectra AFT rod features a
good 9 inches of handle which is half Hypalon with a modified Comfort Grip and half cork. Plus this
series comes with a 4 inch extension overlaid with Hypalon which delivers unique
ergonomics which we will cover later. In addition the SPC701MH-AFT model
sports 10 Fuji Alconite guides and an exposed blank reel seat for greater
sensitivity and cast control.

The Spectra AFT rod's handle is
something else. The re-engineered Comfort Grip with Hypalon and the 4 inch
extension really helps
Spectra:
Spectra fibers are widely used today in many applications including armor,
aerospace, high-performance sporting goods, and much more. Spectra is
super-fine, super-strong, and extremely lightweight. These fibers are
stronger and lighter than most commercial high-modulus fibers and has among the
highest strength to weight ratio of any manmade fiber. They are also
resistant to chemicals, water, and UV light. In addition, this material is
effective at dampening continuous oscillations. Today Spectra fibers are used in
constructing a few fishing products such as braided lines and of course the AiRRUS Spectra AFT rod where it adds strength while increasing sensitivity
without any noticeable weight gain.

Spectra fiber is a great material
to build something out of, but bonding it to graphite was a challenge that
AiRRUS was able to overcome
The Design: Designing the AiRRUS Spectra
AFT series of rods took over 2 years to design. The
Spectra AFT rod combines Spectra fibers and high-modulus graphite that makes up
the filament
wound butt section of this rod. But bonding these two materials
together wasn't an easy process. But because of Mr. Whiting's past
experience with exotic materials and after some plasma treatment and surface
modifications, AiRRUS was able to create a solid bond between multiple materials and the Spectra AFT was
born.
Complete Rig
for Spectra AFT Tests |
Rod |
AiRRUS
Spectra AFT (SPC701MH-AFT) |
Reels |
Quantum Energy PT (E600PT)
Quantum Cabo PT (CBC30PTs) |
Lines |
20
lb Maxima Ultragreen
20 lb Sufix Tritanium Plus
50 lb Power Pro |
Field
Tests: Usually when we conduct real world tests, we like to put the product
up against multiple types of fish, especially ones that take it to the limits. While the AiRRUS rod was designed primarily for bass fishing, we thought it can
handle much more than that. So throughout the Summer months to now, we put
the Spectra AFT up against bass in local lakes and the
California Delta, rockcod fishing in the Pacific Ocean, trolling for landlocked
stripers, and sturgeon fishing in
the San Francisco Bay.

JIP conducts double handed casts
in open water
Casting: Casting lures of many sizes come easy with the Spectra rod. Using the AiRRUS rod to
pitch is excellent, but do so only with the 4 inch extension in place or it will
not be balanced for pitching. If you're tossing lures such as spinnerbaits
or crankbaits using a sidearm cast to obtain that precise placement remove
the extension or it will get in the way during your swing. Removing the
extra Hypalon handle section is quick and if you do accidentally drop it in the water
it will
float.
Casting up close is accurate and controlled, and the modified Hypalon Comfort Grip and the four
inch extension made it effortless to make double handed casts. The new Comfort
Grip is engineered for a comfortable and sure grip for those hard-whipping
double handed swings. The Hypalon is a great material to grip onto when
casting because it's soft yet firm and will not easily slip out of your hands,
even when wet. We conducted a series of double handed cast using irons and
other large lures for largemouth bass and stripers with great success and
concluded that this is one of the best grips to have for such applications.

The AiRRUS rod sports a 4 inch
handle extension that provides great balance when pitching and flipping, and
also gives supportive leverage when fishing larger fish
Sensitivity:
If you compare the sensitivity on the Co-MATRiX and the Spectra AFT baitcasting
rod as we did in our lab and field tests, the SPC701MH-AFT would come out with
better transmissions. Why? That's a good question especially when in
the Spectra section above we mentioned that Spectra is a good dampening material
used in bulletproof vests, submarines, and other insulations to reduce noise. This is
what we've found. Spectra is great at reducing noise from continuous
oscillations but will still transmit the hits and thumps that occur while
you're fishing. Also the Spectra fibers are only used in the lower butt
section of the rod, which is only about 1/3 of the entire rod length. The
graphite tip section and rod guides, still act as the antennas to transmit each vibration down to your hands. It feels like the harder and
more solid butt section actually becomes a better transmitter than a softer
material would be. In addition, if you think about braided lines such as PowerPro and P-Line's Spectrex IV, these are composed of Spectra fibers and are
extremely sensitive even deep down. With a graphite plus Spectra
construction, the AiRRUS Spectra AFT rod does a good job at delivering
vibrations to your sensors for a quick hookset when strikes are detected.

The AiRRUS Spectra baitcast rod is
powerful and sensitive. After detecting hits you can yank a bass out of
cover with confidence
Power: If this rod wasn't powerful, we wouldn't
have used it for anything other than bass fishing. The AiRRUS Spectra AFT
went through a series of hard hitting and tugging fish that really put it
through the paces. This rod is resilient thanks for the filament wound butt
section that contains Spectra fibers. This solid butt section is awesome
when making commanding hooksets especially deep down when we were fishing for rockcod
over 80 feet
below. It also gives great support when fighting larger species of fish
and as they run, you can hold onto the Spectra AFT with confidence.
Durability: The AiRRUS Spectra AFT baitcast
rod is also excellent in terms durability. It has a solid construction through its
filament wound process and further reinforced with Spectra fibers. Spectra fibers
are
lightweight and resistant to harsh foreign particles. Like the Co-MATRiX rod that we reviewed in the past, the
SPC701MH-AFT's Hypalon grip remains as good as new even after much use. We've noticed
that the Hypalon material does not degrade nearly as fast as cork does, and
resists damage from anglers and the elements equally well.

This rod can handle even inshore
saltwater species by trolling for wandering fish to dunking bait for bottom
feeders
Application:
Even though the Spectra rod was design for avid bass anglers, we tested this AiRRUS rod on both freshwater and saltwater species that we thought this rod
was
capable of handling. A great freshwater rod for bass fishing, we can
honestly say
it can rough it with the bigger boys tackling stripers, carp, catfish, and more. Inshore anglers will also find this rod capable of handling species they target
ranging from snook, redfish, rockfish, and even used as a light-tackle sturgeon
stick. The 4 inch extension assists in leverage and those double handed
casts when tossing larger lures for larger species. This Spectra rod is
tough enough for many applications and with its permanence, you can
hunt multiple species with assurance.
Ratings:
AiRRUS
Spectra AFT(SPC701MH-AFT) Ratings (?/10) |
Construction/Quality |
Constructed using sure bonding processes, this rod is armor-tough and is
well put together. Its durability is excellent thanks to the filament
wound and Spectra fibers |
9 |
Performance |
The
rod performs well in many categories from accurate casts to powerful
hooksets. The Hypalon grip provide a greater hold, and an extension
assists in those double handed casts |
9 |
Price |
An
innovative rod that uses a special bonding process and Spectra fibers that
make it truly unique, but still maintains a good price point |
8.5 |
Features |
This rod features Spectra fibers and uses AiRRUS's filament wound process
that enhances its overall performance, especially in power and a sound
construction. The rod also features a re-engineered Hypalon grip and
an extension for balance and those double handed casts |
9 |
Design
(Ergonomics) |
The
overall weight of the rod is heavier than other rods, but is well
balanced and very comfortable to have in hand |
8.5 |
Application |
A
great rod for its intended design, but can tackle much more from larger
freshwater species to inshore saltwater game |
9 |
Total Score |
8.83 |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus
Minus |
J
Armor-tough construction |
L
Overall weight is heavier than other rods |
J
Capable of freshwater and inshore species |
|
J
Comfortable handle with a nice extension |
|
J
Well balanced |
|
Conclusion: AiRRUS has always been very innovative when it
comes to constructing distinct rods for fishermen. They have created and patented some
rod building processes that elevate raw performance.
The Spectra AFT baitcast rod doesn't come short of their game plan as it
incorporates Spectra fibers to enhance the overall performance of the
SPC701MH-AFT. This baitcast rod is sensitive, controllable, and powerful
enough to handle many freshwater and saltwater inshore species of fish. The AiRRUS rod is comfortable to grasp thanks to the Hypalon
grips and overall a very well balanced
design. The 4 inch handle extension allows double handed casts when
tossing larger lures, further increasing its operating range. Since the rod is capable of
so many applications, this
is a great choice for those anglers wanting a rod that can handle multiple
species including bass, redfish, stripers, and rockfish.
